You are a Promised Land. Three months in your beautiful mountain land and you brought me greater friendships, more laughs, beautiful sunsets and stars, peace, interesting van rides, wonderful people, more quiet times, more late night chats, ways to make food with barely any ingredients, more snuggles, sunrises with hot coffee, popcorn parties, personal growth, how to have more patience, greater love for my squad, and so much love for the country.
Overall Swazi, you made me fall in love with you. The friendships I formed, I will cherish forever. I got to develop dreams and goals. I got to dream big and be prepared for coming home. You made me appreciate God’s beauty every time I walked outside. The kids opened my heart bigger each and every day.
I got to experience what it’s truly like to live in Africa and it made me interested in so much of their culture. They LOVE dancing and I mean love it. They dance all the time and are so good at it. They are also so family oriented. Their whole family and extended family live on the same homestead, which is like a few houses on the same lot or just a lot of people living in one house. Swazis are also slow at everything. They walk slow, eat slow, and are late for everything. They really take their time and it is so refreshing to see that. In America we know it’s not like that at all.
And I want to talk a little bit about my Shepard named Thuli.
Thuli showed me how to love the kids endlessly and always have patience. She taught me Eswaiti and laughed at how bad I was at it. Her laugh was unique and loud enough to hear for miles. She has a generous and curious spirit. She wanted to know all about America and the crazy dumb things we do. I can just hear her saying, “really!!??” She always asked if we were okay or needed something. She even once asked us if we didn’t want to walk to a house visit because it was really windy out…lol. She is such a great role model for the kids and for me. Thuli is beautiful in every way and I know someday in the future she will be the best mother. Thuli, I hope one day we can hug again and laugh for hours.
And Swazi, I hope one day I can come back to you.
Much love,
Nicole
